Grits and Eggs Podcast
Episode 143 - Featuring Joshua Dawson
Host: Deante’ Kyle (Ice)
Guest: Joshua Dawson
Date: May 5, 2026
Episode Overview
This episode of Grits and Eggs brings Deante’ Kyle (“Ice”) together with political strategist Joshua Dawson for a raw, witty, and incisive conversation spanning politics, pop culture, race, media, wealth, and the unique contradictions of American society. The conversation is rich in culture and lived experience, with both men unfiltered in their takes on government, capitalism, the Black experience, and the future—from presidential elections to UBI to why white people lost their own swag. The episode oscillates between hard-hitting political analysis and sharp social commentary, filled with humor and memorable quotables.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Social Media & Content Monetization
[00:07–03:20]
- Opening bars on the challenges of creators being compensated on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
- Ice & Joshua discuss how viral success can actually lower creators’ CPM rates and how platforms control everything.
- “You think they... then you go look at your CPM at like 23 cents.” – Ice [01:18]
- Joshua expresses admiration for Ice’s direct-to-consumer approach, wary of platform reliance for Black voices.
- “Our voice is too powerful and important to hope that Instagram keep fucking with me.” – Joshua [01:35]
- Reflection on how viral discourse is shaped by algorithms, highlighting the promotion of drama, gossip, and trends rather than substantive conversation.
Political Power, Tech Companies & Trump
[03:20–06:04]
- Ice critiques big tech’s relationship with political figures like Trump, and the lack of resistance from companies like Apple, Google, Meta.
- “They just want to like lick his balls for some reason I don’t like... I don’t understand what that’s about.” – Joshua [03:49]
- Discussion about the overlap of tech billionaires, data, media control, and their influence on U.S. politics.
- Comparison to the Obama era, noting that Wall Street tried to “punk” the president, but found Obama more resistant.
Black Political Agency, the 92%, and Voter Energy
[06:16–10:23]
- Ice formally introduces Joshua Dawson—his career, accomplishments, and commitment to Black political engagement.
- Conversation about the shifting role of Black voters and political participation, referring to the “92 percent” (Black voters, particularly women).
- Ice: “We’re in a real do-for-self space right now. That’s a very strong place to be in a country that’s constantly declaring it doesn’t give a fuck about you.” [22:23]
- Debate around advancing Black political interests vs. maintaining solidarity, and the importance of local elections even amid skepticism about the federal system.
- “There really isn’t a place in this country for us to actually self-isolate. Every time we’ve tried has been met with attack.” – Joshua [23:07]
- Worries about political disengagement if the self-sufficiency trend leads to non-participation in crucial down-ballot elections.
Leftists, Coalitions & the Limits of Compromise
[12:07–15:20]
- Exploration of Mamdani’s (hypothetical or symbolic leftist leader in New York) approach in politics.
- Joshua critiques the tendency of some leftists to avoid compromise, contrasting it with the right’s willingness to “finesse” for political gain.
- “Politics is a game of coalitions... Where I think [leftists] missed the mark is they want to be really exclusionary with their politics.” – Joshua [12:18]
- “The right will compromise on policy for political capital.” – Joshua [14:23]
- Ice highlights how left-leaning figures get little material reward and more intra-group criticism, while right-wing grifters are more rewarded by their side.
Racism, Anti-Blackness, and Inter-Community Tensions
[25:43–36:00]
- Deep dive into anti-Blackness in other communities, both domestically (Latino, Asian) and globally.
- “These other communities are raised in anti-Black cultures... it’s not an internal battle for them.” – Ice [28:02]
- Discussion of structural racism, colorism, and how anti-Blackness spreads and penetrates various immigrant groups upon arrival in America.
- “It just goes to show it’s written in the code of being here in so many ways.” – Joshua [28:21]
- The trauma and vigilance inherited by Black Americans, how anti-Blackness is often projected, and different generational approaches to self-protection vs. self-love.
- Ice: “Being pro-Black now is more important than protection.” [33:45]
American Capitalism: From Racial Capitalism to Oligarchy
[36:04–44:33]
- Ice and Joshua draw out the inseparability of racism and capitalism in the U.S., tracing it through historic examples (Negro Leagues, music history, corporate power).
- “American capitalism has always been racial capitalism.” – Joshua [37:11]
- “If it was racism first, there’s never integration.” – Ice [37:42]
- Critique of “capitalism” vs. what they term “corporatism” or “oligarchy,” especially as big tech and finance giants wield unchecked power.
The Myth of Black Capitalism & The Exception of Jay-Z
[44:42–47:54]
- Dissatisfaction with the idea that individual Black capitalists like Jay-Z represent achievable models for the broader Black community.
- “We can’t base the black community off of your accomplishments when like, that’s not average.” – Ice [46:20]
Future Work, AI, & Universal Basic Income (UBI)
[47:54–52:53]
- Fears about Black workers being left behind by automation/AI; trade work is discussed as a possible path, but with caveats about automation replacing these jobs, too.
- Joshua advocates for UBI as an inevitable tool for dealing with structural unemployment from AI advances.
- “Americans need to start getting more comfortable with the idea that we’re just gonna straight up redistribute some of this wealth...” [49:10]
- Detailed exploration of potential pitfalls around caste systems and corporate accountability in an economy shaped by techno-oligarchy.
City vs. State: Redistribution and Taxation
[54:14–59:34]
- Local political leaders (like Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson) are working around absent or antagonistic federal institutions.
- Joshua and Ice argue red states are “welfare queens” because they take more from federal taxes than they pay, while blue states subsidize them.
Code-Switching and Black Linguistic Culture
[60:44–62:38]
- Humorous digression on regional accents, code-switching, and “Black folks’ superpower.”
- Ice: “We have a language within the language, for sure.” [61:18]
Urban Growth, Displacement, and Infrastructure
[61:48–63:17]
- Changes in Atlanta since the ‘96 Olympics: increased corporatization and gentrification, failure of public transport policy due to racism.
Academic Experience, Talent vs. Credentials
[77:10–82:25]
- Ice recounts high school experiences, the limits of traditional “academic” achievement for Black students, and how lived experience, creativity, charisma, and code-switching become real-world assets.
- “There’s a tension a lot of times in the skill set that it takes to be good academically and then what actually makes you successful in the real world.” – Joshua [80:12]
White Individualism, the Loss of Community, and “FOMO”
[86:44–89:54]
- Contrasting forms of community and empathy between Black and white American families, and the emptiness of white individualism.
- “White people… they get paid in power and they use that power to be individuals.” – Ice [86:57]
- White people’s inability to join in Black cultural events due to the desire for control instead of community.
Christianity, Faith, and Moral Contradictions
[89:54–99:47]
- Deep critique of American religious experience, its complicity in racist violence, and the cognitive dissonance of Black Christianity.
- Both men are openly skeptical of an all-powerful God who allows slavery and suffering, and raise pointed questions about moral accountability.
- “If the God y’all telling me to serve… is all powerful and all good… where was he at when my ancestors were getting skinned alive?” – Joshua [97:13]
Memorable Quotes & Humor
-
On White People “Losing the Sauce”
- “White people used to be white, bro. They used to make rock music. Some of that sht was kinda cool. Now they wanna be rappers.”* – Joshua [111:33]
- “They're the first generation of white people to hate nggas and wanna be nggas.” – Ice [112:16]
-
On Debates and Social Media Arguments
- “I realized, like, this isn’t about the truth. It’s just a pissing contest.” – Ice [72:28]
- “A lot of the best reads on people are just... real [hood] nggas that could tell when some sht's about to pop off.” – Joshua [82:03]
-
On Capitalism, Race, and Leftists
- “A lot of leftists were anti-capitalist before they were anti-racist. And I think… a lot of white leftists would be ok with a capitalistic system that helped them—but because it's not, they want to burn it down.” – Joshua [105:13]
-
On Code-Switching
- “That’s like Black people’s superpower… we real really are [bilingual].” – Joshua [61:16]
-
On Sporting Excellence and Blackness
- “Whenever a Black person is very dominant at a white sport, they also be kinda like, ‘I ain’t no ngga for real.’”* – Ice [117:01]
Notable Segments & Timestamps
- Direct to Consumer, Social Media Challenges: [00:07–03:20]
- Big Tech & Trump: [03:20–06:04]
- Black Political Agency & the 92%: [19:08–25:00]
- Compromise & Politics: [12:07–15:20]
- Anti-Blackness in Other Communities: [25:55–36:00]
- Capitalism vs. Oligarchy: [36:04–44:33]
- Jay-Z as “Exceptional” Black Capitalist: [44:42–47:54]
- Future of Work & UBI: [47:54–52:53]
- Taxation & Urban Development: [54:14–59:34]
- Code-Switching/Accents: [60:44–62:38]
- Academic vs. Real World Talent: [77:10–82:25]
- Christianity & Moral Dissonance: [89:54–99:47]
- Comedy, Athleticism, and Sports Culture: [116:00–120:00]
- White Youth Culture, Appropriation, and Swag: [111:33–114:50]
Closing Thoughts
This episode is a fast-paced, humorous, and deeply insightful exploration of Black agency, political frustration, culture wars, and how race, class, and power weave through every layer of American life. Joshua Dawson brings a political strategist’s analytical sharpness, while Ice’s “raw and unfiltered” lens grounds the dialogue in lived experience—both serious and self-effacing. The pair interrogate the system’s contradictions as only those navigating them from the inside—and outside—can.
For listeners, it's a master class in Black cultural commentary and political critique—peppered with jokes, realness, and wisdom.
For further highlights, quotes, or specific segment breakdowns, please indicate!
End of Summary
